Detectives seek help identifying thieves who distracted woman and stole her wallet

They believe suspects shown in surveillance videos stole an elderly woman's wallet and charged $4,600 to her credit card.

The following is an adapted news release from the Flagler County Sheriff's Office:

Detectives are asking for the public's help identifying two women they believe stole a 72-year-old woman’s wallet, then — within an hour — ran up $4,600 in fraudulent charges on her credit card at the Target in Palm Coast and a Best Buy in Daytona Beach.

The victim, Palm Coast resident Lillie Keeton, was shopping at the TJ Maxx in Palm Coast Sept. 14 when a woman asked Keeton to help her pick out pillows for her mother. Keeton left her purse and wallet in a shopping cart out of her sight for several minutes while she talked with the woman, Keeton later told deputies.

The woman decided not to buy any pillows and walked away, but when Keeton got to the cash register, she discovered her wallet was missing, along with her driver’s license, checkbook, credit cards and cash. The thieves quickly used the cards, first at the Target in Palm Coast at 4:17 p.m., and then at a Best Buy in Daytona Beach at 4:50 p.m.

All three stores gave detectives surveillance footage, which shows a suspect using one of Keeton’s credit cards in multiple transactions.

One suspect is described as a dark-haired Hispanic or Asian woman wearing a gray sweatshirt, blue jeans and large aviator sunglasses. Video shows her walking from the parking lot to the store with two other people: a Hispanic male wearing a dark baseball cap, dark shirt and blue jeans; and a woman wearing a brightly colored shirt who appeared to come from TJ Maxx.

The footage shows all three of them exiting and entering a white minivan, possibly a Toyota Sienna or a Dodge Caravan.

Video from TJ Maxx shows both female suspects entering the store, though each was wearing different clothes from when they appeared in the Target and Best Buy surveillance video.

Deputies have asked anyone with information about any of the suspects to call the Flagler County Sheriff's Office Investigative Services Division at 386-586-4801 regarding Case No. 15-95040, or to call Crime Stoppers at 1-888-277-8477 (TIPS). Crime Stoppers tipsters may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.